How could he
by Shameless-Royed-Fan1023
Summary: Lily and James live on! For 4 extra years that is, now what is 5 year old Harry Potter to do when he ends up on a door step? WALKS that's what he does but who is this Emily Kooper? And how does she know him? R&R! Hope you like it!
1. Four more years

"Hurry Lily we must aparate to Hogsmead!" James yelled out at the site of the dark lord in his window.

"Yes James we must! Take Harry for me!"

She handed him the one year old Harry and grabbed her wand.

"Let's go!" She cried taking hold of James' hand.

They showed up in a bar in Hogsmead called Hog Head.

"Were do we go?" Lily said on the verge of tears.

"We should go to Hogwarts; to Dumbledore he'll help us!"

"Yes. Yes he will,"

The couple ran down the streets off Hogsmead with the screaming infant.

"What's wrong with him?" James said throwing a hand around Lily's shoulders.

"We left his blanket,"

"Oh dear,"

"Don't worry we'll get Dumbledore to send someone to get our stuff."

They came the Hogwarts gate. Now it was the middle of the night on Halloween so there were no students out doors. Walking in through the gates and in he front door into the entrance hall they got Harry to go to sleep with a spell.

"I feel terrible for putting a spell on him,"

"He'll be fine,"

"I know,"

"Do you think they got away?" They heard a familiar voice say from around the corner.

"Yes Minerva, I have a strong feeling we shall be seeing them soon,"

"Oh I do hope so Albus, I truly do,"

"Come on Lily," James whispered taking her hand.

"Professor?" Lily said as childish as she could.

"Do I hear a student out of bed?" Minerva McGonagall called out.

"Not quite," James said as they came around they corner.

"OH! James, Lily, and little Harry! You are alright! Thank goodness!" She threw her arms around the couple and their sleeping child.

"We managed to escape before he broke in," James said briefly.

"Oh excellent!" Dumbledore threw his hands in the air.

"We were wondering if we could stay here awhile?" Lily said Handing Harry off the James.

"Oh yes of course!" Dumbledore replied.

"Can you send someone to get Harry's stuff, me and James are ok."

"Yes I will right away,"

"Thank you so much headmaster!"

Lily hugged Dumbledore before taking Harry back in her arms.

"You may stay here as long as you need," He said.

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Sadly it did not last long. Lily and James stayed at Hogwarts for a year before going back to Godric Hallows; they lived there for three years before he came back, at the same time on Halloween. Lily and James Potter died that night, but Harry even though hit by the killing curse lived on, he truly is the boy who lived!

Authors note-Harry is 5 just so everyone knows!


	2. The door step

Harry Potter was only five years old when he woke up on a door step. There had been people near him but they were gone now. He felt lonely scared and cold, where was his mom and dad? And why was he there and where was there? Harry started to wiggle around in his bundle of blankets until he got free, then he crawled out of the bundle and towards a short garden fence. He used the fence to help him stand up. Then he ran and picked up his blanket, he could never leave without it. He then started to run down the path of the home and down the sidewalk only to slow to catch his breath.

Walking down the sidewalk of the weird place (Which he decided to call Mulish) he realized how alone he was and yelled out "MOMMY? DADDY?" when no-one answered he got even sadder and started to cry.

"What is a little baby like you doing on a street like this?" A lady came out of her house.

"I'm losted!" He cried out.

"Oh poor baby!" The lady called out. The lady picked Harry up and carried him inside. "Who are your parents?"

"My mummies name is Lily, and daddy is James,"

"What is your name?"

"Harry, Harry Potter!"

"Well I think I should call the police, get you home to your parents,"

The old lady dialed the number and picked up the phone

"Yes I have a lost boy here, Harry Potter; he says he woke up on a door step; how do you know he's an orphan? What! Oh dear! Well I'll…yes I live on Privet Drive, he was meant to go to me, read that off again, I didn't even know that I was related to me, well tell me as much as you can about him… ok…ok …uh-huh… ok yes thank you I will treat him like my own I promise, Do I have to fill out any forms or anything…no? Oh ok, well then good-bye and thank you very much,"

She looked back at Harry "It seems that you're my baby now, how old are you?"

"This many!" Harry held up a hand.

"You're five? How long have you been this many," The lady threw a hand in the air.

"Um since Julie! Julie tweny firth,"

"July twenty first?"

"Yah!" Harry threw his hands in the air.

"Come on I have a spare crib, in the nursery," The lady said.

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It ends up the ladies name is Hannah Brady she was a middle aged widow and she had a home business; she ran a daycare. Harry had grown up with a lot of other children. He had come to get used to it, and as he grew up he had to do a lot of work for his new mother. He seemed happy enough, he still remembered his parents and the horrible night he woke up on a doorstep. He sill has his blanket and everything! Even though Harry remembers it all he tries to forget it, so he can move on and be happy. But Harry can't shake off the feeling that something is different, that he is…different. Harry knew there was a piece of his life a very important piece gone. It has been lost in the back of his mind. He was not normal. Hannah knew it too, but didn't know why.

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July 13th 5 years later

"Harry come on wake up breakfast is ready! Now hustle your bustle!" Hannah banged on Harry's door.

Harry peered over at the stubby wooden side table; which had an alarm clock on it, '10:34" he thought to himself. "Ok, ok I'm up," He said sitting up. Pulling on a t-shirt he opened the door to hid bedroom and sniffed the air.

"Did any body sleep over last night?" Harry asked sitting at the table.

"Yes, Caitlin, the three year old from down the street, her mother and new step father are on honey moon so we are baby sitting her for a week," Hannah replied throwing a few pancakes on Harry's plate.

Harry was used to little kids sleeping over, almost every night. Though Harry already knew the answer he asked "Am I going to have to baby?"

Hannah was about to say something when crying came from the nursery, Caitlin was awake. 'Oh darn it! Harry can you please go get her I don't want to leave the stove on,"

Harry nodded standing up and walking sleepily to the nursery. He inspected the room trying to decide what woke the sleeping toddler realizing there was nothing out of the ordinary he picked Caitlin up who stopped crying once in Harry's arms, and then Harry knew what had woken her "_tick, tick, tick, tap, tink, tick, tick"_ Harry peered around the room looking for the source of the noise, '_could it be one of the toys?"_ He thought to himself. He turned around and listened briskly only to realize it was coming from the window. The back yard of 14 Private Drive was treeless and bush less, so what could be causing such a noise? Harry walked over to the window and moved the blinds out of the way to reveal a brown…owl? This puzzled Harry, why would an owl be there? Just as Harry thought things couldn't get any weirder he noticed something else, the owl had a letter. Harry opened the window and took the letter out of the owl's beak and then beautiful creature flew away.

_Was the reason the owl was here was to give me a letter? _Harry thought_, no that's crazy!_ Harry then examined the envelope more carefully only to be interrupted by, "Harry what's taking you so long?"

Harry hurriedly walked back to the kitchen with the toddler on his hip. "Sorry Han, there was an owl tapping on the window and I just opened the window to get a better look and it gave me a letter," Harry place Caitlin in a high and made some oatmeal for her.

Once Harry sat back down at the table he picked up the letter again, "Peculiar," Hannah mumbled under her breath as she watched Harry read the front of the envelope.

"Listen to this, To Mr.H.Potter, the largest bedroom upstairs,#4 private drive, London," Harry stopped, "Number four?" He peered around the letter at Hannah, "Why do I remember that house?" He said putting the letter down momentarily. "I don't remember," He gave up his attempt at searching his memory. Instead he opened the envelope with great care. Slowly unfolding the letter he blinked a few times. Then dropped the letter after reading the first line, "It's a joke letter, a scam," He said taking a sip of his milk.

"How do you know?" Hannah hadn't been talking very much.

"'Cause it says, Dear Harry Potter we would like to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry, it's a scam," Harry dropped the letter once again.

"Here hand me that," Hannah said holding her hand out. She read the letter carefully then said, "You should go talk to the Dursley's,"

"The who?"

"The Dursley's they live at number four Private Drive, you should go there and talk to them."

"Why it's all a scam, I mean you don't really believe in magic do you?" He gave Hannah a questioning look.

"Harry what I am about to say is not to be mean, but you are and always have been different, and it would explain allot," She smiled at Harry.

"Fine I'll go talk to the Durley's," He said throw pierced lips.

"Dursley's," Hannah corrected him.

"Yeah, whatever!" He snapped.

Hannah scowled at his tone of voice then took Caitlin into the nursery to change her clothes.


	3. Nathan James Harry Brady

Harry walked down the road of private drive looking for number four. It only took him a few minutes. Staring at the small fence he seemed to remember the place, he remembered waking up on the front step, but why? He decided to drop it and find out what if the letter was a hoax or if he really was a wizard.

Harry knocked on the door, with in a few seconds it was answered by a tall skinny woman with pierced lips. Herm eyes flicked over Harry's body stopping at his eyes and widening hers. "Who are you?"

"Harry Potter ma'am, I live at 14 Private drive"

"Potter?" She seems surprised.

"Yes, Harry Potter,"

"What is you mothers name?"

"It was Lily and my father was James, why?"

"I am Petunia Dursley, but before I was married I was Petunia Evens, sister of Lily Evens, who married James Potter, she had a son and named it Harry! She and her husband were freaks with weird powers!" Now get out of my site child before I hit you!" She said it with such force but it did not scare Harry.

"So you are my aunt?"

"Yes and you turned up on my door step years ago but left leaving me a letter from one of the freak!"

"I um got a letter with your address on it. I think it's a hoax though,"

Harry handed her the letter, "It is no hoax my sister got one on two weeks before her birthday too, and you are a freak one of them!" She then threw the letter at him slamming the door.

Harry walked home in shock he was a…a wizard!

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The Dursley home right after Petunia slammed the door in Harry's face

"Who was that?" An old man name Vernon Dursley asked as she entered the kitchen.

"Potter…" Os all she could say.

"POTTER!" Vernon screamed, "but they all died!"

"I'm sending a letter to this Dumbly guy, tell him that Harry Potter is dead, that he their was no baby on my door step!" She screamed charging out of the room. Picking a pen and some paper she scribbled on a piece of paper:

_Dear Mr.Dumbley_

_I was just reading through some of my old paper work when I came across an unopened envelope, reading the letter I thought you crazy, I still do…but I'll just have you know that no Harry Potter's have shown up on my doorstep, he is probably dead, good-bye_

_P.D_

Putting the letter in an envelope she wondered how she is going to send it. She decided she had to go back to the see Potter again so she mine as well do it now.

Walking up the street of Private drive she thought of what she could say to the boy. Deciding on something she walked up the path of number 14. knocking on the door she brought herself to smile.

"Hello," A middle aged woman answered the door.

"Hello I am Petunia Dursley, I am sure Harry explained all of it to you, but I have something very important to tell you,"

"What is it?"

"Harry is being hunted by a man that killed his parents, and um I thought it best for you to change his last name to your last name,"

"Who is this man?"

"He is a dark,"Patunia took a gulp ready to say the word, "wizard,"

"Tell me what you know of him," Hannah said sternly.

Petunia Dursley went on for a little bit about the evil man, by the end of it they were inside the house in the kitchen sipping tea.

"I think you're right, I should ok I will change his last name it will be Harry Brady, I do not know his middle name though,"

"It's James but you should change it too, how about Nathan?"

"That's a nice name, Harry Nathan Brady,"

"Good now…I was wondering I have a letter to send to a professor at the school and I need Harry to send it by owl, if you have an owl yet,"

"No we don't but if we get one we'll be sure to send it,"

"Could you respect my privacy and not read the letter?"

"Yes of course,"

"Ok then I must be getting back to my husband; I will talk to you later,"

"Ok then good bye,"

Petunia left through the front door.

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Later that day

Hannah made her way up the stairs to the second room on the left. Harry's room. She knocked on the being replied by "Come in," She opened the door and looked at the ten year old boy she would call her son.

"Hey Hannah, what's up?"

"Oh I just dropped Caitlyn off, and I wanted to talk to you about something, you about how you are um magic?"

"Oh yeah! Isn't it so awesome?"

"Yah it is, but I have to talk to you about your family, your real family,"

Harry jumped off his bed. "You're not sending me to the Dursley's house are you?"

"No, no honey come here," Hannah held out her arms. Harry ran into them. Hannah sat down on the Harry sitting beside her.

"Harry listen, your parents were murdered by a, a very bad man, wizard, e tried to kill you as well but failed, you're going to have to ask another wizard about it though, but Harry the thing is I think I should change your name. In fact I have the right to change your name since I adopted you. I'm changing it to Nathan James Harry Brady,"

Harry looked shocked, "Two middle names?" He said after a minute or two.

Hannah could only laugh. "Your middle name is James, and it was you father's name , I want something left of him," Hannah patted Harry on the back.

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Later

Hannah phoned her social worker (she has to have one as a daycare instructor) to ask if she could legally change Harry's name. She was excited to find out she could. She was given an address to go to. A lady there named Joyce Kilmer could legally change Harry's name. Once inside a tall building Hannah went to the front desk, "can you please tell me the office number for Miss. Joyce Kilmer," Hannah said to a tall skinny man with, red balding hair.

"Yes she is on the fifth floor room 428," He said after typing a few things on his computer. "But you need an appointment she is with a client at the moment, she's free in an hour," The man momentarily looked up, his eyes shot open as they reached Harry's forehead. "You're Harry Potter!" He exclaimed.

"How do you know me?" Harry backed away.

"You're famous! You are the boy who lived,"

"What!"

"Yeah, you are the first one to survive the killing curse…EVER!"

At this point Hannah had her arm around Harry. "How can you recognize me?"

"Your scare of course,"

Harry only had one scare. It was on his forehead, it was shaped like a lightning bolt. He was rather fond of it but Hannah wasn't she made him growing his hair so it would be covered. "You mean this one?" Harry uncovered the half covered lightning bolt shaped on his forehead.

"Yeah that's the one,"

"So you're a wizard?" Hannah said in a hushed voice.

"Yeah,"

"What school did you go to?"

"It's called Hogwarts,"

"I got my acceptance letter yesterday!" Harry exclaimed.

"Do you know if Joyce is a witch?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah she is."

"Wow, I would have never thought that there was a…a whole other world hidden from people like me,"

"You're called a muggle."

"A what?" Hannah sounded offended.

"No offence, it's just what you're called, all unmagical folks,"

Just as he finished someone came out of the elevator, "Hello Joyce would like to tell you that she is free,"

"Oh ok thank you, Mr. Potter and I didn't catch your name,"

"It's Hannah and yes I would like to go now,"

"Ok I'll buzz her on your way up, fifth floor room 428,"

"Thank you, come on Harry dear,"

"Hannah, one question by the end of today my name is going to Nathan?"

"Yes it is," Hannah said as the elevator closed shut.

Harry pressed the button with the number five on it and the elevator. Stepping out of the elevator they went up and down halls searching for room number 428.

When they found the room they slowly opened the door. "Ever heard of knocking!"

A female voice called out.

Joyce spun around in her chair. Her amber eyes shot to Harry, she looked him up and down gasping when she saw the scar. "Harry Potter,"

"Yes, He is, but not for long. We are here to change his name. He's not safe with that evil wizard's followers around,"

"Yeah I guess you're right, what do you want to name him?"

"Nathan James Harry Brady, I want him to still have his name,"

"Ok, just sign this form and I will send it off,"

Hannah signed a form then asked, "Is that it?"

"Yep," Joyce smiled at Harry then added, "I will send you a letter when his new name is confirmed."

"Okay thank you," Hannah replied leaving the room.

Author Notes: Joyce Kilmer is a famous poem writer.

Trees

By: Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see;

A poem as lovely as a tree;

A tree who stares at God all day;

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree who may in summer wear;

A nest robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosoms snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me;

But only God can make a tree

Thank you! Please read and review!


	4. Mrs Kooper

It took a month before they finally got a letter from Joyce saying that Harry's name was legally changed to Nathan.

"Honey have you sent a letter to Hogwarts yet?" Hannah asked.

"No, but I will," replied Nathan taking out a pen and paper. "What should I write?"

"Say, dear, what was the name of the person who sent the letter?"

"Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,"

"Dear Ms. McGonagall," Hannah continued, "I am a wizard age 10 who will be 11 in two, weeks, my muggle mother told me to send a letter to Hogwarts asking why I have not yet received an acceptance letter. With my with auntie telling me about it at age 4 she made sure I was on the list, but I have not yet received my letter."

Hannah peered over at Nathan who was busy writing. "And I'll end with: A note of wonder Nathan James Harry Brady,"

"Good,"

Harry finished writing the letter then asked, "How am I going to send this?"

"Well, I forgot to tell you. I was talking to Joyce Kilmer about how you can't get to were you need to go, so she agreed to take you to a magical street called Diagonally,"

"Great, when?"

"Tomorrow after lunch." Hannah said sitting down at the table. "What do you want for lunch sweetie?"

"Nothing, I'm not that hungry," Harry said standing up from the table. "I'm going to go to the park."

"Ok take my cell phone and then when I want you home I'll just phone you, ok?"

Harry nodded and picked the small silver and black cell phone up off the counter.

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Harry slowly trudged towards the park. He wasn't feeling well for he just realized that he had to hide his true identity from the world; that someone out there wanting him…dead. He was upset that he could be Harry Potter any more.

Harry walked right past the park. He decided to go somewhere else instead. Somewhere he'd get answers.

Harry walked up the walkway of number 32 Privet Drive. He knocked on the door and waited. He was about to do something he should have done a long time ago. The door opened and an elderly witch name Emily was standing there. "Why hello Harry," She said smiling.

"Hello Mrs. Kooper," Harry said smiling. "I have a-a question for you, actually a few."

"Oh why don't you come in and have some cookies," She said opening the door wider.

"Ok, thank you," Harry walked into the brightly colored room, it was pink. The walls had bunnies and kittens and babies all over the room. It looked at though some had gotten so sick of cuteness that they threw up all over the house.

Harry sat down on the couch. "Harry just wait a sec I'll get some of the cookies I just make," Mrs. Kooper wasn't in the living room.

Harry looked down at the coffee table. It had a scrap book on it titled _'The Daily Prophet: The Boy Who Lived' _Harry picked up the scrap book and opened it up. The first page had a picture of a baby with jet black hair and green eyes. He was with his parents. Under the picture is read:

_Young Harry Potter was born into the cruel magical world on July 21__st__. Him and his parents were on the run ever since he was a year old. No one really knows why the Potter family was on the run. All we know is that 'he who must not be named' was after them for what ever reason. At age 1 Harry and his family ran from Godric Hallow to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Potter's lived in the safety of the castle for a whole year before going back to Godric Hallow. It was a sad ending for Lily and James Potter. After three years of living in Godric Hallow 'he who must not be named' came back. He cruelly murdered the parents of the sweet toddler and attempted to murder Harry himself. But something happened that night. Something that no one knew how it happened or why is happened. Harry destroyed 'he who must not be named'. This is story of grief. Though a sad one, it is also a happy one. For 'he who must not be named' is truly gone. Harry potter really is the Boy Who Lived._

_Emily Kooper_

"Here you a… oh Harry I,"

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Nathan said looking up at Mrs. Kooper.

"Because we didn't want to hurt you, any way I'm sure you'll get your acceptance letter to Hogwarts soon,"

"I got it a few days ago"

"Oh, well than you know you're a wizard. You were old enough to remember your parents dying, why does that story surprise you?"

"I never knew that this man killed my parents, I never knew that I destroyed this wizard."

"Harry listen, you are famous. You destroyed Voldemort, you, Harry are going to have to deal with gapping at you and talking about you, and pointing at you for the rest of your life. No one told you because we did not want you growing up with that," Emily stared lovingly at Nathan.

Nathan was silent for a minute then, "Who's…we?"

"We are called the Order of the Phoenix, we are here to protect you Harry, we all knew your parents. At first we were here to destroy Voldemort, but you did it for us, so now our main priority is to protect you. Harry one question, how did you know I was a witch?"

"I didn't, I just came over to ask you if you had a cake, I wanted one for my birthday party this weekend. I just saw the scrap book and got curious and read it. Now I know you're a witch,"

"Oh," Emily laughed.

"So how about that cake?"


End file.
